Promace-c-mopp in aggressive non-hodgkin's lymphoma long-term results in 45 patients treated in a single institution

Abstract

Forty-five previously untreated patients with intermediate or high-grade non-Hodgkin's lymphoma were treated with the ProMACE-C-MOPP regimen (flexitherapy). The median age of the patients was 51 years, 51% had constitutional symptoms, 78% were in Ann Arbor stage III-IV, 40% had two of more involved extranodal sites and 87% had serum lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) above 225 U/l. Twenty-two (49% patients had immunoblastic lymphoma (Working Formulation). Overall, 40% of the patients attained complete response (CR) and there were no relapses. The dose-limiting toxicity was myelosupression (69% of the patients with WBC < 1.9 × 109/l). Three deaths were attributed primarily to chemotherapy, but another two patients died of long-term complications of therapy. After a median follow-up of 50 months (18-80), 15 patients (33% were alive without lymphoma. Only histologic subtype (intermediate vs. high) and abdominal involvement were prognostic factors for CR rate. Our results indicate that ProMACE-C-MOPP is an effective regimen for intermediate-grade lymphomas. However, in high-risk patients the regimen seems to be less effective than originally reported. ©1991 Informa UK Ltd All rights reserved: reproduction in whole or part not permitted.